1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising an engine block with a plurality of cylinders, a cylinder head connected to the engine block with combustion air inlet ports to each cylinder, an intake manifold with at least one branch pipe to each cylinder and a mechanically driven compressor that is connected to the intake manifold by way of an intercooler.
2. Background Information
Supercharged engines with charge-air cooling usually have a radiator in the form of a plate heat exchanger mounted in the engine compartment at a distance from the engine. The heat exchanger is connected by way of pipes and/or hoses to the compressor outlet and the intake manifold inlet. This means that the volume of air between the compressor outlet and the intake manifold inlet is relatively large. When a mechanically driven compressor, such as a screw compressor, is used a great amount of noise tends to be generated due to resonance in the system. Further, this large volume of air between the compressor outlet and the inlet to the engine cylinders also has a negative effect on engine response.
The object of the present invention is to produce a supercharged internal combustion engine having a very compact compressor and intercooler installation, resulting in more efficient cooling and silencing and improved response than previously known supercharged engines with charge-air cooling described above.
According to the invention this is achieved by having a common, integrally formed housing part connected to the intake manifold for the compressor and the intercooler.
In a preferred embodiment the intake manifold is also integrally formed with the housing part of the compressor and the intercooler. The housing part is preferably composed of a cast metal such as aluminum.
By integrating the compressor, intercooler and intake manifold in this way, a very compact and stable unit is provided with very small air volume between the compressor outlet and the inlet into the cylinders of the engine. For example, the volume of air may be as little as 2.5 liters in an engine of corresponding cylinder capacity.